Homily for veterans day (Micah 4:1-5; Psalms 85:9-14; John 15:12-16)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Today, as our nation observes Veterans Day, we pause to honor those who have served in our armed forces. These men and women answered a call to protect our nation, often at great personal sacrifice. As we reflect on their service, our Scripture readings today offer us profound insights into God's vision of peace, justice, and sacrificial love.

The prophet Micah shares a powerful vision in our first reading:

> "In days to come the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established as the highest of the mountains... Many nations shall come and say: 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD... that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.'... They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore." (Micah 4:1-3, NRSV)

This beautiful prophecy reveals God's ultimate plan for humanity—a world where weapons of destruction are transformed into tools for cultivation and growth. A world where nations no longer train for war but gather to learn God's ways of peace.

This vision might seem distant from our current reality. Yet on Veterans Day, we recognize that many who served in our military did so precisely because they longed for such a world of peace. They took up arms not because they loved war, but because they loved what they were defending—their families, their communities, their nation, and the values of freedom and human dignity.

In Psalm 85, we hear: "Kindness and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss. Truth shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from heaven" (Psalm 85:10-11, NABRE). This beautiful imagery speaks to the harmony God desires for his creation. Justice and peace are not opposing forces but are meant to embrace. Truth and kindness belong together.

Our veterans have often stood at this difficult intersection. Many have faced the harsh realities of a world where justice sometimes requires defense against aggression, where peace sometimes must be protected through sacrifice. They have lived the tension between the world as it is and the world as God intends it to be.

In our Gospel reading, Jesus gives us the greatest commandment: "Love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends" (John 15:12-13, NRSV).

These words take on special significance as we honor veterans. Many have demonstrated this sacrificial love—willingly risking their lives for others. Some gave what President Lincoln called "the last full measure of devotion." Others returned home bearing visible and invisible wounds. All offered something precious—their time, their safety, their peace of mind—for the well-being of others.

Jesus continues by saying, "I do not call you servants any longer... but I have called you friends" (John 15:15). This elevation from servant to friend speaks to the dignity Christ bestows on us. It reminds us that every veteran, regardless of rank or role, possesses this same God-given dignity and worth.

Saint Augustine, reflecting on peace and justice, taught that "Peace is the tranquility of order." Our veterans have often served to restore or maintain this order when it was threatened. They have stood against chaos and injustice, often at great personal cost.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us that "peace is not merely the absence of war... Peace cannot be attained on earth without safeguarding the goods of persons, free communication among men, respect for the dignity of persons and peoples, and the assiduous practice of fraternity" (CCC 2304). Our veterans have often been guardians of these very goods.

As we honor their service today, we might ask ourselves: How are we called to continue their work of building peace? Micah's vision of swords beaten into plowshares is ultimately God's work, but we are called to participate in it.

For some, this might mean working for diplomacy and international cooperation. For others, it means building bridges of understanding in divided communities. For all of us, it means practicing the sacrificial love that Jesus commanded—putting others' needs before our own comfort, standing up for the vulnerable, and working for a more just society.

Pope Francis has reminded us that "true peace is not a balance of opposing forces. It is not a lovely façade that conceals conflicts and divisions. Peace calls for daily commitment." This daily commitment to peace is something we can learn from our veterans, who know that freedom and security require vigilance and sacrifice.

As we prepare to receive the Eucharist—the sacrament of Christ's own sacrificial love—let us remember those veterans who exemplified similar love through their service. Let us pray for those still bearing the wounds of war, visible and invisible. And let us commit ourselves to being instruments of God's peace in our homes, communities, and world.

Jesus tells us in today's Gospel, "You did not choose me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last" (John 15:16). Like our veterans who were called to serve, we too are chosen and appointed by Christ to bear lasting fruit in this world. May we honor veterans not only with our words of gratitude but by continuing their commitment to the common good, to justice, and to peace.

Let us pray:

Lord God, you call us to love one another as you have loved us. We thank you for the men and women who have served our nation through military service. Grant eternal rest to those who have died, healing to those who are wounded in body or spirit, and peace to all who continue to serve. Inspire us to work for your kingdom where swords become plowshares and spears become pruning hooks. Help us to be instruments of your peace in a world still learning your ways. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.